San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-02
POLITICAL, NOT SOCIAL.

Ohio and New York have apparently
made the mistake of cOnfounding the
social equality and the political equality
of things. The cOlOred question has
Gene up In those states, especially with
reference to the public schools, and is
causing trouble. There is growing
hostility to the mixing of the races in
school, even among the strongest repub-
licans, and decided objections to the
system are urged on the grounds Of
morality and cleanliness. The oOndi-
tiOn of the cOlOred man at the north,
outside OF politics, has never been as
we'll nor so satisfactory defined as at the
south. He is not so much an entity as
he is in the southern states, and does
not form SO numerous or so general
constituency. What TO do with him
there is beginning to be serious ques-
tion among those who are and always
have been his best friends. There is no
use of minciRg matters. The situation
must be faced. Before the war, the an
were so strong that the essential and
unvarying conditions of race antsgonism
were lost sight of to great degree.
During the early years of the RECONSTRUCT
tion period, the Andy johnson govern
ment precipitated this country into
path of national conduct that was not
desired at the north, and has not proved
beneficial to the cOlOred citizen. Its
immediate effect was to give him a
prominence in political life, and direc-
ton in the affairs of government, which
he was not fitted to assume. Out of this
grew very bitter antagOnism between
the whites and the cOlOred people of the
southern states, politically. This cOndi-
tion of this is passing away, and in the
more rational and natural adjustment of
the relations Of the two classes of citi-
Zens the north is feeling the difficulty as
well as the south. There il an uncOm-
Portable feeling among the northern
white people at being brought into con-
tact with their cOlored neighbOrs The
feeling Of caste may not be so strong as
at the south, but the feeling Of discOm-
fort is greater. The nOrtherner has not
become accustomed to the presence of
his colored brother as the sOutherner
has and the strangeness Ia disagreeable.
The attempt to break down barriers in
the public schools in Ohio and New York
has emphasized this sentiment, and
this disturbed condition OF feeling will
grow. 1t cannot but grow, because it is
. natural and instructive feeling, grow
ing out of race conditions. The results
of the war we're natural, not unnatural,
and could not make permanent I'M
natural conditions. All attempts to
make oftwo races, as ethnologically dis
tinct as the Caucasian and the negro.
one race, must end in inevitable disas-
ter. The war settled the slave cOndi-
tions Of the colored people of the south
and made them forever free; this
was the work of the republican
party. One Of the war results was
to give the freedmen of the south pOliti-
cal privilege as the only means of seour-
ing to themselves the blessings Of that
freedom; this also was the work of the
republican party. Freedom and politi-
cal privilege, these two, have the re-
publican party given to the cOlored race
There is but one thing more-full and
unstinted educational advantages. For
this also the republican party is work
ing, and, to accomplish it, stands
pledged. The attempt to prevent the
colored people of some sections of the
south from the full and free exercise of
the franchise guaranteed them in the
late constitutional amendments, has
been the great offense committed by the
southern democrat. Against this wrong
the republican party has, does and will
set its face as q flint. The question of
education must also be settled fairly and
honestly in favor Of the colOred citizen
and his children. 1t is this question